PORTLAND — Barack Obama won a huge victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Oregon primary mostly with the support of men and younger voters.

But the Illinois senator also found plenty of votes among blue-collar workers who had been the staple of Clinton victories in other states, and from those who said that change was more important than experience in a candidate.

Only the working poor making less than $30,000 a year and those over 65 supported Clinton.

Obama had 58 percent of the vote to 41.7 percent for Clinton with 76 percent of the expected vote counted.

It was widely considered one of the most exciting primary races in Oregon in 40 years, and one that drew record participation among Oregon’s Democratic voters. A total of 52 convention delegates were at stake in the Oregon primary.

“I don’t remember a race like this one. It was so clear that this was a remarkable candidate at exactly the right time in American history,” said former Gov. Barbara Roberts, a key Obama supporter.

Women were evenly divided between Obama and Clinton, but men voted for Obama 2-to-1, dooming Clinton’s bid even without the strong support Obama received across nearly all age, income and education categories.

A poll of Oregon voters as they were casting their ballots by mail showed the youngest age group, 18 to 24, voted 3-to-1 for Obama, while those who said it was their first time voting in a primary supported him 2-to-1.

The poll also showed about half of Oregon voters said the ability to bring about political change was the single most important quality in making a decision, and four out of five of them voted for Obama.

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, a Democratic superdelegate backing Obama, was jubilant at a Tuesday night victory party.

“People are ready for change, and they understand that Barack Obama is ready to go,” Blumenauer said. “He is the guy who can do it, and people in Oregon are ready to help.”

By comparison, only about one in five voters said experience was the most important factor, a campaign theme for Clinton.

Blumenauer noted that Clinton, former President Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea “had practically lived in Oregon for the past month,” making dozens of campaign stops.

Although Clinton fared better in rural counties, the overwhelming victory for Obama was not confined to the liberal center of the state and its major cities.

Clinton had her strongest showing in Eastern Oregon, in Umatilla and Morrow counties, despite an appearance Obama made in Pendleton just before the election.

But Obama appeared to have a solid margin of victory in two other Eastern Oregon counties, Wallowa and Union.

The margin of victory was thin for Clinton in other traditionally conservative counties, including Douglas County, where Obama got a warm reception last weekend in Roseburg on his final campaign swing through state.

Clinton won Coos County on the southern Oregon coast, but Obama was narrowly ahead in neighboring Curry County, and Curry’s inland neighbor, Josephine County.

The growing support for Obama in Oregon was clear by last Sunday when more than 70,000 people gathered on Portland’s waterfront for an Obama rally.

On a visit in March, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, once an ally of the Clintons, endorsed Obama as “a once-in-a-lifetime leader.” That was at a rally that drew 12,000. By contrast, Clinton’s three visits produced crowds that generally numbered in the hundreds, and last week she canceled planned stops and stayed in Kentucky.

The mood at Hillary Clinton’s headquarters was subdued Tuesday, with supporters not surprised by results that had been predicted by pollsters.

Josh Kardon, chairman of Clinton’s Oregon campaign, said he didn’t think the protracted battle between Obama and Clinton would hamper the Democrats’ chances of defeating Sen. John McCain in November.

“The Democratic Party race won’t be hurt by too much democracy. Let’s let the people decide and we’ll be fine in the fall,” Kardon said.